Pupils turn backs on science

The world is in danger of running out of scientists because too many young people are opting to study "easier" subjects in school and university.

Even in supposedly pro-science countries such as South Korea, the United States and Japan, media studies is now a more attractive option than chemistry, biology and physics, the president of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Sir Peter Williams, said.

He said young people may have had their trust in science shaken. "Fewer and fewer of our young people are entering the world of science each year worldwide," he said.

This year there was yet another fall in the number of British students taking physics, chemistry and biology as A-level subjects.

The number of maths students rose, but only after recent years of decline. Last month head teachers said that the rising A-level pass rate was being fuelled by pupils switching from maths and science to supposedly easier subjects such as psychology and media studies.

"We are not alone in facing these trends," Sir Peter said.

"On a recent visit to South Korea, their Minister of Science told us that the proportion of high school graduates . . . focusing on science, engineering and maths had almost halved since 1996. Germany, Japan and the US report similar concerns."

Sir Peter added: "The minister said the kids were choosing media studies instead."

The schism between the sciences and humanities - described by C. P. Snow, the author and physicist, as the "two cultures" - was alive and well in sixth forms, where the A-level system encouraged students to choose between the two, he said.

But many of the divisions were unnecessary. Society needed literate scientists, while arts students could study the history and ethics of science.

"We should look at the idea of bringing sixth form students into a baccalaureate model," said Sir Peter. "Students could continue to study our mother tongue, maths, science and humanities."

He questioned whether scientific progress itself was sustainable. Public confidence that science had no limits in devising new cures for disease was over optimistic, Sir Peter said.

Nature was devising ever more successful and formidable opponents, from HIV to SARS.